DOE Supporting States to Pave the Way for Upcoming Home Energy Rebates Programs

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of State and Community Energy Programs is pleased to announce the release of a portion of administrative funds to states and territories in preparation for the rollout of two programs that will help Americans cut energy costs in their homes.

The published Administrative and Legal Requirements Document (ALRD) for the Home Energy Rebate Programs provides states and territories with up to $5 million to lay the foundation for their programs and contains vital information regarding funding and initial program structure. 

The administrative funding and guidance for tribes is not yet available but can be expected soon. Consumer funding is also not yet available; however, homeowners can find readily available tax credit opportunities in the program's frequently asked questions.

Sessions Announced for the 2023 Better Buildings, Better Plants Summit

Join fellow energy and sustainability leaders at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Better Buildings, Better Plants Summit on April 11–13, 2023, at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. This event will feature sessions covering a range of topics, including energy efficiency, decarbonization, workforce development, and more.

Travel assistance may be available upon request for representatives from K-12 school districts and energy/sustainability offices within a state or local government. You can request travel assistance (amount based on location*) when registering for the event.

• *$750 for locations in Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast regions based on National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) Regions.
• *$1,000 for locations in Central and West regions based on NASEO Regions.

Find out details about each session and register for the summit.

Introducing Framework for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Planning

Through the Better Climate Challenge, the DOE developed a framework for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction planning that provides guidance to organizations seeking to reduce GHG emissions across their portfolio.

Better Climate Challenge partners and stakeholders representing over 60 organizations across multiple sectors and building types contributed to the development of this framework through participation in working groups. The working groups are producing two documents: one for organizations with a portfolio of buildings and vehicle fleets and one for organizations with an industrial portfolio.

Although the resource for industrial portfolios is not yet available, you can explore the resources for building portfolios.

DOE Invests $315 Million to Advance Reliable Clean Energy in Rural or Remote Communities

The Biden-Harris Administration, through the DOE, announced $300 million for projects that increase energy affordability and promote climate resilience as well as $15 million for a prize competition to help rural communities build the capacity needed for clean energy development and deployment.

Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA)

A $300 million funding opportunity will award projects that increase energy affordability and promote climate resilience with an anticipated federal cost share ranging from $5 to $100 million per project. Applicants will be required to submit Community Benefits Plans to ensure benefits are spread equitably across affected communities. 

Read more about the ERA program and the full funding opportunity announcement. Concept papers are due by April 14, 2023, and full applications are due by June 28, 2023.   

The Energizing Rural Communities Prize 

DOE is also launching the Energizing Rural Communities Prize to support capacity building to remove two of the biggest barriers to improving energy systems in rural or remote areas: developing necessary partnerships and securing financing. Through $15 million in funding, this prize competition will help build partnerships by connecting communities to government funding and a network of partners that can help implement clean energy projects. The prize will help selectees develop plans to access capital and/or develop community ownership models.

Read more about the Energizing Rural Communities Prize. Full applications are due by May 24, 2023.

New DOE Financing Authority Is an Opportunity for States to Go Big

Is your state considering new ways to support emissions-reducing energy infrastructure or electrification campaigns? Consider how your state’s Energy Financing Institutions can convene stakeholders and take those projects to scale with support from the Loan Programs Office (LPO).

You may be familiar with LPO, which provides loans to companies that have successfully launched game-changing new technology, from EVs to solar manufacturing and battery recycling facilities. What you may not know is that thanks to a provision in the Inflation Reduction Act, the LPO can now provide financing for projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, even if they do not rely upon technology that is untested in the marketplace.

A December 2022 article by LPO Director Jigar Shah outlines how the door is open for states to play a new and exciting role in advancing the energy transition. For state energy officials, there is a pathway to secure unprecedented investment towards their goals through LPO loan guarantees. Generally, the threshold to request LPO loans is a minimum $100 million project.

LPO’s team is ready to walk you through it, whether at the conceptual level or into technical support. For more information about the program and how to contact LPO, visit the LPO Program Website.

Eligibility Expanded to Include Remote and Island Communities Along the Gulf Coast

The DOE announced that applications are open for the Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP) through May 19, 2023, for remote and island communities seeking technical assistance to transform their energy systems and reduce their vulnerability to energy disruptions.

Through the program, DOE, national laboratories, and regional partner organizations will collaborate with communities across the country to provide technical assistance for clean energy and energy efficient solutions, while prioritizing local challenges, values, and goals.

The 2023 application period runs from February 21 to May 19 and interested communities can apply here.

Visit the ETIPP website or contact ETIPP@nrel.gov.

Clean Energy Financing Toolkit for Decisionmakers

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a Clean Energy Financing Toolkit for Decisionmakers, a resource to help state and local government officials who are new to clean energy financing learn about strategies available across multiple sectors.

This toolkit provides information about a dozen types of state and local clean energy financing programs and strategies. State and local governments can pursue these options to catalyze investment in clean energy, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable transportation, and efficient electrification.  

New Guidance for the Climate Pollution Reduction Program

The EPA announced program guidance for planning grants under the $5 billion Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program, which is part of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.

This two-stage program—with $250 million in noncompetitive planning grants, followed by $4.6 billion in competitive implementation grants—will encourage states, air agencies, municipalities, and tribes to create and implement comprehensive climate pollution plans that ensure reductions and maximize benefits, especially for low income and overburdened communities.

The EPA has released two program guidance documents that explain funding allocations, the process for eligible groups to opt in, and application deadlines. 

Apply for the Clean Energy to Communities Program

The Clean Energy to Communities (C2C) program connects local governments, electric utilities, community-based groups, and others with experts from across the DOE national laboratory complex.

C2C provides three levels of engagement:

• In-depth technical partnerships: Multi-year partnerships that provide cross-sector modeling, analysis, and validation, paired with direct funding to help 4–5 selected teams of local governments, electric utilities, and community-based organizations reach their goals and/or overcome specific challenges. 
• Peer-learning cohorts: Small groups of local governments, electric utilities, or community-based organizations that meet regularly for approximately six months to learn from each other and lab experts in a collaborative environment to develop program proposals, action plans, strategies, and/or best practices on a pre-determined clean energy topic. Cohorts will include approximately 100 communities total.
• Expert match: Short-term assistance (40-60 hours) with one or more technical experts to help address near-term clean energy questions or challenges for up to 200 communities.

The C2C is hosting an In-Depth Partnership Request for Proposals Webinar April 5, 2023. Register for this webinar.

Connect the Dots on Solar Energy: Learn About Benefits of Solar Power

Every day, Americans are making the choice to power their lives with solar energy either through installing panels on their rooftops or by joining a community solar program. Over the next few years, millions more will take advantage of solar tax credits for consumers and tax credits for businesses.

The Solar Energy Technologies Office is connecting the dots for you—demonstrating how solar energy investments accrue over years to benefit individuals, communities, and the nation.

Follow along with Connect the Dots on social media, and join the conversation using the hashtag #ConnectSolar.

BETO Announces 2023 Multi-Year Program Plan!

The Multi-Year Program Plan sets forth the mission, goals, and strategic approach of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO). The new plan identifies BETO’s research, development, and demonstration strategies and crosscutting programmatic activities and outlines why these undertakings are critical to meeting the energy and sustainability challenges facing the nation.

Read the full 2023 Multi-Year Program Plan.